City Council approves big Ford Mercury Restorers car show

At its regular meeting Feb. 1, the Belleville City Council approved the Ford Mercury Restorers Club of America’s request to hold a huge car show in downtown Belleville on Friday, July 15.
Russ Roberts, who represented the car club, said that the Return to Belleville Kickoff and Registration in the city is to prepare for the big swap meet and non-judging car show at the Wayne County Fairgrounds the next day.
Roberts said the plan is to run the event in downtown Belleville from 4 to 9 p.m., “Just like Mondays’ car shows you hold during the summer months.”
City Manager Diane Kollmeyer said Main Street will be closed between Second and Fifth streets and traffic diverted at Five Points and High Street.
She said the event was approved subject to them putting up no parking signs on both sides of Liberty Street.
In other business at the Feb. 1, 55-minute meeting, the council:
• Heard a presentation by the Belleville Area District Library Board and its architect Dan Whisler about plans for a two-story, new library building in the middle of Fourth Street at Charles. The council voted to set up a subcommittee to work with the library on details surrounding the land parcels, moving of utility pipes, etc. Mayor Kerreen Conley thanked the library for “taking a step back and working with the community” after voters rejected its original plan. The proposed library building is reduced in size to 30,000 square feet and is placed in downtown Belleville, as voters wanted. Councilwoman Kim Tindall also praised the board, saying, “This clearly showed the library board listened to the people … and came back with a great plan … a jewel for our community”;
• Held a 7:45 p.m. hearing to take comments from taxing jurisdictions only on the proposed Downtown Development and TIF Plan 2015 Amendment. Nobody spoke. A public hearing on the plan will be held before the council on Feb. 16;
• Heard a presentation by Bill Van Winkle seeking support for the new Belleville Area Lions Club that is being organized;
• Approved $199,604.37 in accounts payable and departmental purchases in excess of $500: to Alice Training, $595 for active shooter training, police dept.; to Blue Ribbon, $3,274 for hydrant replacement, water dept.; to EJ, $1,692.97 for hydrant replacement, water dept.; to Farmer Underwood, $700.01 for 21AA stone, various depts..; to KCI, $626.47 for postage for assessment notices, general fund; to Liquiforce, $178,415.91 for SRF work, sewer dept.; to Roy & Sons Guns, $3,599.94 for Tasers from Drug Forfeiture Funds; to R&R, $1,260.85 for fire truck repairs, fire dept.; and to SMART, $506.67 for vehicle repairs, from general fund; and
• Learned the next council meeting agenda on Feb. 16 will include an audit report, a financial proposal for street work, and the Strawberry Festival committee’s administration and responsibility policies. When asked if it will be about the carnival location, Kollmeyer said the Chamber of Commerce has the carnival and they’ll put the carnival where they want it to be.